The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-05-05
Presto entail Outlook.

\
Jew with Western Democratic Senator,
u which it was stated that the President
lad positively announced his purpose not
% be a candidate before the next National
Convention of his party. That determin-
.tion was promptly questioned, and the
inevitable Lamont, the President g private
secretary, appealed to to know whether IL
was true. That ubiquitous individual and
man -of-all. work, SAID that he was salts
fed it was not true-that there was no oc-
casion for the President to make such
statement and that he was not in tie
habit of crossing a bridge before he
reached it. The Western Senator was
called upon to give his authority for what
he had told the correspondent. The Sena-
tor could not remember to have said ex-
actly what was attributed to him, nor
could he recall theprecise language used BY |
the Pres dent in the conversation out OF
which it all grew, but he was certain that
it was too strongly stated by the news |
paper man. This latter party to the mud
die repeated and reaffirmed his version OF it,
and the Senator came back with minute
statement that amounted to nothing what
ever in relation to the denial or the substan-
tial accuracy of the report. Various other
publications were given to the public sus'
tanning the first statement, and card
from Mr.. porsheimer, to the effect tnat
he had persuaded the President against
determination to publicly state that ne
did not want a second term, in which he
reminded Mr.. Cleveland that he owed
something to the party that had SO highly
favored him, and that it would be his DUTY
| to obey its demands.
OF course all these statements and eoun-
ter-statements caused sensation and dis
cussion, as they were designed. They
further brought out the fact that MI.
Cleveland is an absolute necessity to his
party in 1883, if it desires to make de-
| cent show in that contest, and that II he
should not be nominated then the control
of the government would he practically
surrendered to the Republicans without
| serious struggle. 1t was argued that he
| could not refuse to accept nomination
and that not TO tender it would be tanta-
mount to acondepnatian Of the only Dem
ocratic administration within quarter OF
| a century. So the whole ado has settled
down TO the conclusion that Mr.. Cleye.
land will be the Democratic candidate for
the Presidency in 1888. In other words he
has straddled the beast, has tie reins in his
hands. and intends to ride it to suit him
self. if it results in political death to both
the animal and the rider. For this he has
been dispensing patronage and Shaping his
policyfrom the time he took possession OF
the Executive chair. His game has been
to secure the State of New " rk in his
interests, and to That end more patronage
has been given his supporters there thar
in all the Northern and Western States
He has endeavored to hold the Mugwumps
, by dealing out few offices to Republicans
at their suggestion and committing him
, self squalely to free trade. which is part
, of the Mugwump creed. In the South
as we had occasion q few weeks ago tt
! point out. be has yielded to the impotnnii
ties of the managing politicians and mae'
: clean sweep of the offices, regardless O
his pledges or of any consideration excep
1 that of making himself solid with tn
: machine bosses. With New York and thu
e solid South at his lack in the Conven
D ton through manipulated delegates, hi
nomination would be merely Q matter
o form-it would be determined before tn
G Convention met and ratified by acclama
: ton.
d If these surmises be correct, it become
j the duty of the Republicans to conside
d and evolve from them such conclu
e sions as seem natural. The first one is
4 that if Cleveland should be the Democrat
ic nominee, then Blaine will most likely D
: the candidate of the Republican party,
he desires the nomination. 1t will b
s urged by his friends that he drew to tn
party more strength in 1884, in the Paci
S fic, Western and Eastern States than prob
: ably any other man could have done. Bu
, for bis great personal popularity on tn
Pacific Coast, the chances were that tn
e Republicans would have lost every one o
. them. It may be that he is the only east
ern man who can hold them in 1883, an
they may become necessary to decide tn
contest. They will further contend tina
$ his defeat was merely an accident,
scratch-that the meagre majority 10
$ Cleveland in New York was due to eithe
! one of half dozen accidental occurrences
: which could not repeat themselves, and tina
e with the dissatisfaction that undoubtedl
} exists among the simon pure Democrats i
hat State, because of the favor shown tn
Mugwumps, would assure him the electora
. vote of New York. It will be fnrthe
urged that his candidacy willremoye ever
donbt that might exist as to any one 9
: the Northwestern States. where hi
: strength is greater than his party, an
show a larger numerical vote than an
other candidate could. With the Pacifi
States and-the Northwest solid, and th
New England Statesin accord, the chance
Il would be equal for him in New York
: | Connecticut and New Jersey, to those G
u either of the other candidates for the nom
nation. while Pennsylvania would go fo
him with an old time Republican maJorlt,
with Ohio certain and Indiana good fight
ing ground.
4 ! We have no reason to believe that MI
Q Blaine is any weaker in Virginia than b
. was in 1884, when if it had been necessar
: to his election, it would have been show
that he fairly carried the State, as
/ claimed by those cogni zant OF the fraud
}, that were committed to secure the electt
9 raj vote for Cleveland. Indeed. we hav
9 ample assurance that Republican sent
ment has greatly strengthened in Virgini;
!. within the past three years. and that
o the conditions are favorable to the conclt
a sion that the electoral vote of the Oh
!. Commonwealth will be given to the III
publican nominee in 1885, whether he b
9 Blaine, Sherman, Allison, Blair, Harrison
Foraker, or any recognized champion
. American Labor, American Industrie
and Public Education. In North Care
t. lima, almost as promising conditions al
present. The revolt againsti Rourhonlsn
!, 8 as marked and forceful now as it is ]
| .h:, Ct,to ,nd with tho race issue ont {